1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to protective helmets and headwear, and in particular to helmets worn by specific personnel in certain environments, including helmets worn by airplane or helicopter flight personnel.
2. Description of Related Art
A helmet typically includes a rigid outer shell having a generally spherical shape, intended to cover the wearer's head, and a facial opening for the wearer's face. Fastened on the inner side of the shell are damping and/or padding elements, which include a cap, generally made of polystyrene, and cushions, normally located at the neck.
Such a helmet is traditionally provided with communication members, in particular a microphone and loudspeakers, which allow the helmet's wearer to communicate with other people, despite the significant background noise. Certain helmets also have an interface for a night vision device fastened on a support (also called a dome) connected to the helmet. The operation of these different accessories requires an electronic connecting device that ensures both electrical power and information transmission.
In connection with known helmets, the electronic connecting device is normally arranged in two ways. A first arrangement consists of mounting the connecting device on the shell, on the inner side thereof, a cavity being formed locally in the cap to allow housing of the device. This configuration is not optimal, as it can make wearing the helmet uncomfortable. Moreover, the presence of this large cavity formed in the cap can create a weak area likely to degrade the protection granted by the helmet.
According to a second arrangement, the connecting device is removably mounted on the outer surface of the shell. It may, for example, be fastened using Velcro®. With this configuration, the connecting device forms a member protruding from the helmet, which can catch on various outside elements. This is particularly bothersome in the application involving a helmet intended for airplane or helicopter personnel, which is intended to be worn in a limited space and includes numerous control members and cable connection that may catch on the connecting device. Moreover, with this configuration, the cables coming out of the connecting device are also positioned outside the helmet, which also leads to the risk of catching and potentially damaging interactions.
These and other features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structures and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.